What Friends Are For
by lilybirds
Summary: Blaine doubts Kurt's friends at first. - He's only seventeen, but he knows how the world works.


**It's been awhile.**

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><p>Blaine doubts them at first.<p>

When Kurt first comes to Dalton and tells them about McKinley, his coffee in his hands and tears in his eyes, it seems the boy is on his own. His voice shaking as he pushes out the words he's been trying to hold back, it is clear he has been suffering and Blaine can almost see him shake with the weight of loneliness that has been on his shoulders for far too long.

Even after Kurt transfers and walks around in his own brand-new Dalton Academy uniform, telling Blaine stories about how amazing his friends are and how much he misses them, Blaine is still reluctant to believe they really are. Having experienced what Kurt has gone through, it is hard for him to believe Kurt has friends that stood by and let it happen. He doesn't tell Kurt this, merely shakes his head and laughs when the boy makes a joke. Kurt is funny, charming, there's a sharpness in his eyes. Blaine doesn't get why anyone would want to hurt him, but at the same time he does and so he avoids thinking about those questions at all. He's only seventeen. But he knows how the world works.

Rachel has a party and Kurt somehow gets him an invitation. So he goes and once again sees their faces, but it's less formal now. No uniforms, no Warblers he can blend in with. They're all there. Rachel, Quinn, Finn, Puck – they're all gathered to party and have fun, somehow Blaine manages to join in. They play Spin The Bottle and he kisses Rachel and it's nice. He thinks he might be bi, which he's not but it's worth a try, and so he agrees to go on a date with her. Kurt looks at him like he's committed a crime, positively snaps at him that he's _gay_ and Blaine leaves because it's the right thing to do. It's their first fight.

He realizes he's gay halfway their date, there are no sparks and he doesn't want to kiss this girl. He doesn't want to kiss any girl, really. The idea even makes his stomach turn a little. Halfway their date he's hit with an overwhelming sense of regret. Kurt's admitted he likes him in a moment of stunning and vulnerable honesty and not even weeks later, here's Blaine, on a date with the girl known for stealing everything away.

Blaine doesn't tell her he's gay until she finds it necessary to attack him with a kiss in the middle of the Lima Bean. He flees to the bathroom as soon as he can, wanting to get rid of the sickening taste of her lip gloss but he doesn't like the reflection in the mirror when he gets there and so avoids his face. Kurt is waiting for him when he returns, Rachel long gone, and as he sits down Blaine suddenly realizes that _yes_, he _was _an asshole, but Rachel? Rachel kissed him, dated him and then kissed him again without a care - but she _should _have cared. The anger curls hot in his stomach as he sits down, but he doesn't mention her name. Instead he smiles and offers something Kurt has been missing for far too long. "I'm sorry," Blaine says.

He likes Finn. Finn's a simple kind of guy, smiles a lot, compliments more. When Kurt and Blaine get together, his reaction is a positive one. He seems excited when Kurt tells him and when he's alone with Blaine, he pats his shoulder as if he's the older one here. "Dude, I've been rooting for you since the beginning. You're totally what Kurt needs," Finn says in a moment of wisdom and his eyes are serious. "take good care of him, though." Blaine feels the underlying threat and wants to laugh and scream at the same time. _I'll take good care of him_, he says and doesn't say what he really wants to say. _But will you?_

Of course Kurt goes back to McKinley, it doesn't come as a surprise. The look on his face when they went to the benefit concert together was enough. Santana is the one to make it happen, though. Blaine's not sure if he should hate her or love her, but seeing Kurt smile and seeing him free of _everything _– Blaine soon realizes he likes her a lot. Santana keeps it real, she's honest and she's completely in love with her best friend. And she sees right through him. "Listen, Frodo," she tells him when she gets him alone once, "If I want to be prom queen, I'm gonna have to do this right. So Kurt will be fine. I'm keeping him safe this time." Her voice is bitchy, her face doesn't reveal anything and Blaine guesses she's trying really hard to seem careless. But he catches the _this time _and allows himself a smile. Yes, she's doing this for herself. Santana wants to be prom queen and will do anything to get the title. But she hasn't forgotten and for the first time he feels like things might be changing after all.

Santana doesn't get the title. Neither does Quinn Fabray. Instead, Kurt accepts the crown, because he's too strong for this town, too strong to be knocked down so easily. His friends applaud him and Kurt's eyes are still a bit too bright, a bit too wet, a bit too hopeless but he's up on that stage.

They dance together until their feet hurt and no one can tell them no, because this is _real_ and this is _Kurt _and this is _Blaine_.

Quinn thanks him first, when the night ends and the group splits. Finn isn't there with her and she looks freed, her eyes shining and her hair a little less flawless. "Thank you," she murmurs in Blaine's ear when they hug, a bit stiffly. "for doing something _one of us _should have done." She pulls back and stares him in the eyes, nods once. "Next time, though." She says. "We'll be there."

Blaine believes her.

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><p><strong>Please leave your thoughts if you want to! <strong>

**xx.**


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